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The Brother of Jared
"The Brother of Jared" is the sixth animated Story from the Book of Mormon, yet it is chronologically the first story, as the story takes place hundreds of years before Nephites and Lamanites, or their founders, even existed. Plot Pag stays at home with his mother to take care of bees because she tells him it is now his job when his father, Mahonri Moriancumer, is away. Pag says he is too little to work, but his mother disagrees because he is old enough to know his size. She is concerned as to whether he is afraid. He denies fear of bees. Meanwhile, in the city of Babel, wicked men are building a ziggurat, later known as the Tower of Babel. Mahonri and his brother Jared are walking through. A group of people ask Mahonri what the word is. It is "repent," much to Jared's concern, but he allows him to preach while he (Jared) does business. The people brag to Mahonri that they'll get to Heaven before he does: by climbing the tower, but Mahonri says it won't bring them any closer. The people angrily say that it will be His throne. Back to Jared, he is about to give a merchant named Silas honey for money, but Silas tries to put bugs in it. However, he is stopped. In the middle of his speech, his language is confounded. Jared assumes that Silas is "playing games with him." A woman runs frantically speaking another language, but Jared doesn't get it. He then mistakes another man (from behind) for Mahonri. However, he is discovered by his brother and asks what is happening. Mahonri says that God is angry and punishing the people for their wickedness by confusing their language. Jared begs Mahonri to pray for their language, and that of their families, to stay pure. This is done, and their language is kept. The tower is then destroyed, and the people are scattered. Pag and a girl are overhearing Mahonri pray to God, mentioning the idea of going to a "choice land," much to the dismay of a man named Levi. He chews them out for eavesdropping on a prophet, and then sends them both to bed, but not before Pag mentions this "choice land" thing. Mahonri tells Levi to tell the others they are heading north. The next day, Jared has a list of animals to bring. A man tries packing fish into a pot, but because the pot is near the pond and never closed, he never has any idea that the "lot of fish" he is getting is really the same fish over and over who is just jumping back in. Mahonri and Pag are packing up beehives in a wagon, much to Pag's questioning, though as mentioned by Mahonri, he does like honey. So Mahonri encourages him to carefully get the last beehive, to let them know he is a friend, and that they will not bite him. That night, Pag is talking to his father in their sleep, asking if he could kill a tiger if it was around, or a lion, or a bear. His respective answers are yes, that a lion is easier than a tiger, and that there is no animal in the world that can hurt them because God will protect them. A light shines into the tent like the sun had come up (which it didn't. It was only a symbol of the Lord's guidance). The glowing cloud leads the family to a shore for days. Eight barges are built, and there are problems. Not only is there no light inside, nor is there any air to breathe, and there are no sails to catch the wind. On top of a mountain, Mahonri prays for forgiveness for his iniquitous failure to pray. He talks to the Lord about the barge problems. The Lord tells him to remedy the air issue by cutting a hole in the top of each barge so that it can be opened for air, but closed to keep water out. As for the light issue, He doesn't say what to use, only what cannot be used. No windows because the waves would dash them to pieces, nor fire because they would burn. Therefore, He asks Mahonri what he would have Him do. Back down, Mahonri melts sixteen stones out of a shiny rock he remembered seeing his son hold once. He takes them to the top and prays for his answer: for the Lord to touch the stones and make them shine. Having seen the finger of the Lord do so, he is afraid. He hadn't seen any part of the Lord but His finger. Upon this discussion, Mahonri tells Him to show Himself to him. He shows Himself to be Jesus Christ and tells him to write certain messages, but not to let anyone else see them. Much later, Mahonri has every end of every barge lit with a stone in every net pouch. The barges are closed up and are pushed off by the wind. At one point, the barges are buried underwater. They later come back up. When the barges get to the promised land, everyone is happy, especially the honeybees, whom Mahonri and Pag release carefully. Scripture References Genesis 11, Ether 1-3 Fact In the Book of Mormon, it is narrated in the Book of Ether by Moroni, yet as mentioned above, the story itself takes place hundreds of years before the Nephites and Lamanites, making it chronologically the first Book of Mormon story. Trivia This is the only volume any of whose scenes cross over with a Bible story.